TORONTO ARROWS READY FOR INAUGURAL SEASON

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TORONTO ARROWS READY FOR INAUGURAL SEASON

December 12th, 2018

(TORONTO,ON)- Toronto officially has a new sports franchise. The Toronto Arrows held an introductory press conference Tuesday morning, to introduce their players, coaches and management staff for the upcoming Major League Rugby Season.

The event marked the end of a long journey to the professional rugby ranks for Canada. In July, Major League Rugby granted the Arrows the official rights to an MLR franchise in Ontario. The Arrows were granted entry to the league in November, becoming the first professional Rugby Union team in Canada. Some of the Arrows investors include former NHL General Manager Brian Burke and Boat Rocker Sports.

“Im very proud of what we have accomplished so far. I’m really excited about the season ahead,” said Bill Webb, president and co-founder of the Arrows. “We have a great team, great staff, really good corporate culture.”

The team also announced another round of signings, which included former Canada 7s star John Moonlight. Of the 34 players the Arrows have inked to deals, 23 of them are from Ontario. The Arrows believe having a professional team that showcases homegrown talent will have a big impact on young players in the club system.

“I think its going to provide and aspirational pathway to be able to play professional one day,” said Webb. “A lot of these kids know these guys because they were the seniors at their local clubs and now they get to watch them play pro.”

One of those players fans will enjoy watching is Lucas Rumball. A product of Balmy Beach Rugby Club, the Canadian International is hoping to inspire the next generation of rugby stars.

“I’m excited for it. As a kid growing up in the club system the things we had to look forward to were Provincial teams and National teams,” said Rumball. He added “Now there is this professional aspect and hopefully, one day, kids will look up to us like they do the Leafs or the Jays.”

The Arrows kick of their season on the road on January 26th against the New Orleans Gold. The two teams will also square off on April 7th, the Arrows home opener. The team will announce the venue for their home games and their TV deal in the near future.

ABOUT RUGBY ONTARIO

Rugby Ontario is the provincial sports governing body responsible for the organization of rugby in Ontario. Our mission is to establish a stronger identity for rugby in Ontario by promoting the sport’s core values and by fostering a culture of inclusiveness and excellence on and off the field of play.